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Otahuna Lodge Christchurch

Overview

Accommodation

Location

Details

At the head of a secluded valley on New Zealand’s
South Island is a place of replenishment and refinement.
It is a place where prestigious luxury accommodation
meets exemplary service and cuisine in the context
of an elegant, historic country estate. A place
where guests receive the warmest welcome and indulge
wholeheartedly in the sense of occasion presented
by lavish surroundings.

This is Otahuna
Lodge. This is New Zealand at its finest.

Otahuna holds many treasures. Beyond the classic
entrance hall, hidden amenities and fine dining
are waiting to be discovered and enjoyed. Each guest
of the luxury Lodge will feel delightfully cosseted
by the service and charmed by the ambient sense
of history, even as they are spoilt for choice by
the range of activities available.

Dining:The cuisine celebrates the
best of seasonal New Zealand produce, with an emphasis
on fresh Otahuna estate-grown offerings. Dinner
is a five-course chef’s degustation menu which changes
daily, making use of the best fresh produce and
guests’ dietary requirements. Honest, uncluttered
flavours, the finest local ingredients and elegantly
restrained presentation are the hallmarks of the
Otahuna table.

At dinner, guests dine communally
in the opulent formal dining room - ornate original
wallpaper, a roaring fire and sparkling candlesticks
exemplify the gracious living of the Victorian era.
Alternatively, they may retreat to a private table
for two in the sunken wine cellar, the intimate
library, the drawing room turret, or a location
of their choosing.

Gardens:The spectacular 110-year old
gardens of Otahuna were laid out and cultivated
under the direction of A. E. Lowe who trained at
Kew Gardens, London. Wide vistas over lawn and lake
contrast beautifully with intimate walks which wind
through heavily wooded areas.

The gardens
of the country estate offer a range of guest amenities
and activities including swimming, tennis, croquet
and petanque among others.

The grounds of
Otahuna Lodge are recognized as "A Garden of
National Significance" by the New Zealand Gardens
Trust.

Art:Art enjoys a distinguished pride
of place at Otahuna. The Lodge's collection, considered
to be amongst the most important under private ownership
in New Zealand, comprises exclusively the works
of Kiwi artists.

The art of established and
emerging artists is showcased in a collection that
includes more than thirty commissioned pieces found
in both the property's common areas and guest suites.
The collection features a unique array of varying
media and styles and many honoring the traditions
of New Zealand's indigenous peoples, the Maori.

Additionally, the Lodge is home to nearly forty
historical photographs that have been reproduced
from several of the nation's finest museums. These
images document the estate's history and its significance
in the area.

Otahuna Lodge is an exclusive country estate offering
5 suites and 2 master suites. Each retains architectural
features from the 19th century such as ornate original
fireplaces, carved inglenooks and stained glass
windows. All luxury suites offer super-king beds,
fine custom-made linens, toiletries by Penhaligon’s
of London, deep bathtubs and separate rain showers.

The Master Suites:

Rhodes Suite

Originally the master bedroom, the Rhodes
Suite is actually a series of four rooms
which embodies the gracious character of
Sir Heaton and Jessie Rhodes. The palatial
bedroom boasts a magnificent Victorian fireplace
with inglenook seating and stained glass
windows. A separate octagonal sitting room
situated in the turret is the perfect spot
to read a book, work a jigsaw puzzle, enjoy
a quiet candlelit dinner or simply gaze
out to the gardens.

The ensuite bathroom
is luxuriously appointed with a double shower
and separate spa tub, ideal for soothing
tired muscles at the close of an active
day.

Outside, the private balcony
affords spectacular views across the Canterbury
plains to the distant Southern Alps.

Verandah Suite

Epitomising the phrase “room with a
view,” the Verandah Suite is the perfect
base from which to start exploring Canterbury.
Four doors open onto an enormous arched
verandah, reserved exclusively for the suite.
Here, guests may quietly contemplate the
birdsong from the gardens, or toast with
a glass of champagne as the sun sets across
the Canterbury Plains behind the Southern
Alps.

Indoors, guests can lose themselves
in the crackle of a fire – either from a
deep armchair in the bedroom or from the
freestanding bathtub in the spacious ensuite
bathroom

The Suites:

Botanical Suite

The Botanical Suite is situated in the
original Morning Room of the house, where
tea was served to Jessie Rhodes and other
fine Canterbury ladies every day at 11 o’clock
sharp. A floor-to-ceiling mantle featuring
gingerbread woodwork and a wood-burning
fireplace anchors one corner of the room.
In another, an enormous bay window faces
east to the gardens and receives bright
sunlight through painted glass in the mornings.

Located on the ground floor, the Botanical
Suite offers its guests access to the gardens
through a private exterior door ensuring
that a leisurely stroll or a brisk walk
is never more than a few steps away.

Butler Suite

The Butler Suite comprises a series
of rooms looking over the terracotta roof
of the sunken game house – now a wine cellar
– to the woodland beyond. The bedroom, separate
full sitting room, and two bathrooms feature
classic depictions of the evocative Canterbury
landscape as well as Otahuna’s historic
past.

The decorative scheme reminiscent
of the Arts and Crafts period features dark
wood, original fireplace tiles and classic
furniture. The butler never had it so good.

Clark Suite

Named for the Lady of the House, Jessie
Clark, the Clark Suite looks east over the
treetops to the Port Hills. The soft yellows
and blues of this classic suite draw their
inspiration from the expansive stained glass
windows, tiled fireplace and traditional
English country ambience of the estate.

After a day of exploring Canterbury,
the Clark suite is an ideal place to relax,
either in front of the fire or in the spa
tub. The paintings of nearby Akaroa harbour
will inspire one to see what lies just beyond
the hill outside the window.

Garret Suite

Perched at the top of the house, this
eyrie invokes Heaton Rhodes’ passion for
the great outdoors. Writers may draw inspiration
from the desk which looks out across eaves
and gables to the treetops, while the views
from the sitting area extend all the way
across the province to the mountains.

Fishing and hunting memorabilia line
the warm, wood-panelled walls and an eclectic
collection of antiques and mementos will
convince one that there is such a thing
as a luxury attic.

Polo Suite

So named for the tradition of the game
at Otahuna, the Polo Suite occupies a sunny
position at the front of the house overlooking
a courtyard on one side and the great lawn
on the other. Heaton played regularly on
the lawn, which had to be mown by horses
wearing special leather shoes.

The
classic leathers, houndstooth fabrics and
oak furniture of the suite provide the perfect
inspiration to plan one’s own horseback
adventures from the comfort of a deep double-ended
bathtub. Or settled in by one of the suite’s
two fireplaces with a good book from the
Otahuna library.